Un-produced Film on PLO is Countered by a Documentary

November 29, 1979

NEW YORK (Nov. 28)

“The PLO,” an independently-produced Swiss film documentary on the terrorism of the Palestine Liberation Organization, was screened here this morning at the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith headquarters after the United Nations rejected Israel’s request to screen the film in the Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium at the UN building.

“The PLO,” was Israel’s “answer” to the UN-produced film “Palestinians Do Have Rights”– a PLO version of the Arab-Israeli conflict–which will be shown tomorrow at the UN as part of the Palestine Day celebration.

The UN produced film cost the UN $80,000 and was authorized by the General Assembly’s Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

“The PLO” was purchased by the Israel Mission to the United Nations and will be distributed to different groups and organizations in the United States and elsewhere. The 26-minute film documents major acts of terror, murder and sabotage perpetrated by the PLO, with brief interviews with experts on terrorism among them former Israel UN Ambassador Chaim Herzog. The film stresses that PLO terrorism is indiscriminately aimed at civilians and that its victims are people of all nationalities as well as Jews and Israelis.

Asked by reporters if he was “happy” with the film, Israel Ambassador Yehuda Blum told reporters he thought “there is much more to be said” on the issue and that an in-depth analysis of the reasons and results of PLO terrorism would require a longer film. He also said the film failed to show that the PLO was the initiator of seizing diplomats and hostages and executing them.